1 . Looking out of the window of his truck, Bob Fitzgerald sees dying forests and empty farmland. Fitzgerald says the land has been in his family since the 17th century. “I can show you land around here that people grew tomatoes on when I was a little boy. And now it’s gone.”

Climate change is making things worse. As sea levels rise, salt water is entering rivers and other waterways. As a result, the land is becoming too salty for crops to grow on. Hundreds of millions of people will be forced to move inland because of rising waters.

Kate Tully, a researcher in the University of Maryland, wants to keep coastal farmers in business as the seas rise. She has seen the forests filled with pine trees killed by the increasingly salty soil. The United States Department of Agriculture gave Tully and other researchers $1.1 million to study the problem. She and her team hope to give farmers ways to stay on their land.

They are testing different crops on pieces of land around the Eastern Shore. “Sorghum (高粱) is my new favorite crop because it can grow without rain and it can grow with lots of rain.” The grain (谷物) crop may be a good choice to feed the nearly 600 million chickens kept in the area each year. As farmers know, chickens can deal with salt, dry weather conditions and heavy rains. Yet just being able to grow a crop is not enough. The crop has to bring in money.

Some people believe the land should be given back to nature. They say the fields should be turned into wetlands, which are popular with duck hunters. “There’s money in duck hunting,” Tully said. “Hunting organizations will pay farmers for hunting on their land. Farmers could make a lot of money from duck hunting.”

Tully and her team are just getting started. It will be a few years before they really understand how to save the farms.

1. What is the purpose of Paragraph 1?

A．To lead to the main topic.	B．To describe the farm scenery.
C．To illustrate a memorable experience.	D．To provide the background information.

2. Why were Tully and other researchers given $1.1 million?

A．To help farmers stay on their land.	B．To study new crops for coastal farmers.
C．To study climate change in recent years.	D．To help farmers start their own business.

3. What was Tully’s attitude towards turning farms into wetlands?

A．Concerned.

B．Doubtful.

C．Positive.

D．Negative.

4. What can be the best title for the text?

A．Climate Change Making Things Worse.	B．Rising Seas Forcing Changes on Farms.
C．Coastal Farmers Saving Their Homeland.	D．Scientists Teaching Farmers to Plant Crops.

2 . Museum Day

Museum Day is here for one day and one day only — so you’ll need to hurry if you want to take advantage of the chance to get free Saturday admission to one of the hundreds of participating museums.

This event is hosted annually by Smithsonian Magazine and involves museums and cultural institutions coming together to offer free admission for visitors who would otherwise have to pay for entry.

You just need an email address to get a free ticket.

To get a ticket you’ll need to go to the Smithsonian Magazine website and pick which museum you want to go to. You’ll be able to search to see which museums near you are participating, and you just have to put in your email address and name. After that, you can download your ticket and head out for some fun.

A lot of museums are still feeling financial stress from the pandemic.

The event is happening as museums are still struggling from the hits they took during the first few years of the pandemic.

The American Alliance of Museums estimated it will take years for museums to fully recover. In February, the group released survey results that detailed those financial losses.

But there’s hope that a free day at the museums might contribute to more future visits.

1. How often is Museum Day held?

A．Once a week.

B．Once a day.

C．Once a year.

D．Once a month.

2. How can you get a free ticket?

A．By writing an email.	B．By signing up on the Internet.
C．By visiting the nearest museum.	D．By downloading Smithsonian Magazine.

3. What is the significance of hosting Museum Day?

A．It will help people deal with stress.	B．It will make museums more famous.
C．It can help museums to fully recover.	D．It may attract more visitors to museums.

3 . I was cutting up lettuce (生菜) in the kitchen when I suddenly remembered watching a video about putting the lettuce stub (残余部分) in water to grow a whole new vegetable. So I took out a wide-mouthed mug (大杯) and placed the stub into it, gave it a little water, and placed it by the window.

On a snowy morning, I noticed the first sign. A first small leaf from its heart spread out. A tiny green flag of hope. Beaten, but not defeated. Within days, it was impossible to see the cuts where I had removed the leaves. The growth was explosive. And when I lifted the blossoming head out of the mug, tiny root threads fell down, seeking for the earth. What is growing here? Lettuce or hope?

If I were a lettuce in a similar condition, I’d want to doubtfully assess where I found myself before being devoted to full growth. Yet for this lettuce, my inadequate offering of water and a place by a window was enough for it to decide to reclaim itself again. It grew in a mug of water, in faith. This is the heart of this lettuce: alive, strong and fearless. It deserved a name. I decided to call it Monty.

Monty wanted to grow, as we all do. I think I gave him a little love and freedom. Those two ingredients were all he needed to return to himself. I see joy in this lettuce. The return to self is always an expression of joy, which is life itself. With the right ingredients, this is the tendency of all living things.

Monty still lives in a mug, but I’m going to transplant him outside. He deserves to become his full self. The only problem I see now is my capacity to support Monty. I hope I have enough of a green finger.

I’m surprised to find myself where I am. Maybe Monty is, too. I have the same choice as he does: give in, or start again. The prospect of starting again is discouraging. But my lettuce-friend, Monty, leads the way. I can only hope to be as brave.

1. Why did the author put the stub in water?

A．To hope that it would grow.	B．To decorate the nice mug.
C．To play a game.	D．To remove his bad mood.

2. What is the first sign of life in the author’s eyes?

A．The remaining stub.	B．The small leaf.
C．The disappearing cuts.	D．The tiny root threads.

3. How would the author feel if in the lettuce’s situation?

A．Hesitant.

B．Fearless.

C．Confident.

D．Annoyed.

4. What can be a suitable title for the text?

A．Enjoy your own life to the fullest	B．Believe in yourself when in trouble
C．Never be afraid to restart yourself	D．Give freedom to the heart in a way

4 . In the picture Landscape with Diogenes by the 17th century French artist Poussin, the ancient philosopher Diogenes is described casting away his last possession, a drinking bowl. He realizes he doesn’t need it after seeing a youth cupping a hand to drink from a river. The significance for us is that Diogenes’ spiritual descendants (后代) known as “new minimalists” are now everywhere, if not as completely possession-free as he was.

There are hundreds of websites praising the virtues of tidy living. Everyone is trying to cut down on things these days. People are trying to reduce their carbon footprints, their waistlines, and their monthly outgoings. What’s more, there’s a general fear that people are becoming choked by their possessions, and this is fueled by the knowledge that the leading hobby these days seems to be shopping. It’s true that sales of e-readers and e-books go beyond those of paperbacks. As a result, the need for bookshelves is cut out.

However, today’s new minimalists don’t urge us to burn our books and destroy our CDs, but just make sure we have them as digital files. So, for example, I have digitized versions of some of my old vinyl LP (黑胶) records and haven’t, as yet, stimulated myself to take the LPs to the nearest charity shop — and I admit I shall probably go on keeping them. Technology has gone beyond our dreams and there is always the doubt that our hard drives will crash and all will be lost.   Far more important, however, is the fact that our memories are so inseparably tied to our possessions that we can’t get rid of stuff. We are not exactly suffering withdrawal symptoms as we try to break our addiction to objects. We are just acquiring new stuff, which means we can bin or recycle our old stuff.

I’m happy to have found another website which seems to solve a whole lot of problems at once — a thriving online advice service offering storage solutions. The interior (室内的) designer responsible for this does not suggest getting rid of stuff, but rather recommends buying more stuff such as elegant flexible baskets or colorful lidded (有盖子的) containers to hide the first lots of stuff from view. I love this philosophy — convince yourself you’ve got your desire for possessions under control, without having to lose a thing. After all, we aren’t merciless enough to follow Diogenes and cast away all our possessions.

1. Why does the author mention a picture by the artist Poussin?

A．To introduce Poussin as a famous painter.

B．To spark a discussion about the new minimalist trend.

C．To interpret the artistic style of 17th-century French painting.

D．To illustrate the negative impact of ancient philosophy on modern views.

2. What makes the author believe that minimalism may not succeed?

A．People’s resistance to media pressure.

B．People’s strong bond with physical objects.

C．People’s lack of faith in digital hardware.

D．People’s laziness in the face of change.

3. According to the author, people invest in smart new storage in order to______.

A．satisfy their desire to make purchases

B．make attractive additions to their homes

C．ease their conscience over having too many things

D．provide a temporary solution to a problem

4. Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?

A．Psychology of Overconsumption

B．Low Carbon Is an Attitude

C．Treasure What You Have

D．Less Is More

5 . Psychologists tell us our self-image defines what we believe we can and cannot do. Each of us over the years has built up belief about ourselves: Unconsciously, our pictures of who we are have been formed by past experiences. Our successes and failures, what others have told us and what we think people believe about us all help form impressions of what we think we are. As self-image plays a crucial role in our growth, gaining a proper understanding of it and even making changes to it can hold significant meaning for our development.

Changing our self-image is possible: Some psychologists suggest we begin to change our self-image by mentally picturing ourselves performing well at some tasks. Since we presently react to things based on our present images, it’s suggested that we replace those with better ones. In many experiments, people were asked to sit quietly for a few minutes each day and imagine themselves doing well. For instance, subjects would sit and imagine themselves throwing darts (飞镖) at a bull’s-eye on a target. Over a period of weeks, their dart game improved. This has been done with people who wanted to play chess better, throw a ball more accurately, increase their salesmanship or musical talents, or improve many other skills. In most cases, remarkable improvement is made.

The point of changing self-image is not to develop an image of ourselves that is not real. To try to become something we really aren’t is just as wrong as living the unrealistic, inferior image we may have. The aim is to find the real self and to bring our mental images of ourselves in line with our true potential. However, it is generally accepted among psychologists that most of us fail to do justice to ourselves. We’re usually better than we think we are.

Another important part of changing self-image is to not think about past mistakes. Don’t let failures do harm. Our errors or humiliation over mistakes are necessary steps in learning. It is all right to make mistakes. But when they have taught us what we did wrong, we should forget them and not dwell on (纠结于) them. Sometimes we keep remembering our failures or mistakes and feel guilty or embarrassed about them. We let them take over, and then we develop a fear.

It is important to have realistic expectations of ourselves. Some of our dissatisfaction might come from expecting too much of ourselves. If we demand constant perfection in everything we do, we can be disappointed and our poor self-image will continue. If our goal is to reach perfection, we are doomed (注定要失败的) from the start.

1. Which situation agrees with the idea of the passage?

A．To win a speech contest, Tina pictures herself speaking more confidently.

B．To get along with her classmates, Doris always humbles herself.

C．To become a star player, Alex repeatedly plays back his faults in his mind.

D．To outshine his colleagues, Joe sets an idealistic goal.

2. What is the purpose of paragraph 3?

A．To clarify the principle of changing self-image.

B．To confirm the effect of changing self-image.

C．To propose a new view on changing self-image.

D．To stress the importance of changing self-image.

3. According to the author, how should we regard our past mistakes?

A．They are tools for overcoming fear.

B．They are warnings for future.

C．They are part of our growth.

D．They are barriers to our development.

4. What is the main idea that the author conveys in the passage?

A．Overcoming fear through past mistakes.

B．Building a realistic self-image through visualization.

C．The importance of humility in personal growth.

D．Setting idealistic goals for personal development.

6 . Tony Hawk, who I thought was bigger than life, came in the room and then the interview began.

As the world’s greatest skateboarder, he talked about how his life was not always so miraculous (奇迹般的). He mentioned one day he was skating on top of the world, and the next day the sport of skateboarding fell right on its face. Life for Tony has had its ups and downs, and what brought him back up was the way he believed in himself. One of the most tragic events in Tony’s life was that his father passed away. Although he suffered such pain, he never lost sight of his dream. He put his energy into his dream, which helped him overcome his sadness.

One part of Tony that completely impressed me is the way he accepts himself. His goal is never to do better than others, but to do his best. If he does the best he can, it doesn’t matter how anyone else takes him. That’s true and wise. As for me, I play baseball and things aren’t going so well, but I’m trying my hardest because that’s life. It’s how you approach those bad days that will keep you on top.

Confidence brought Tony to the next level. During our meeting he continually talked about the importance of following one’s dream. He also said, along with that, one needs to have a strong faith in one’s own ability to achieve that dream, no matter what challenges are presented.

By the end, I didn’t see the same guy who had walked through the door an hour earlier. Now I view him as more than a world-class skateboarder. He is also a normal person who has dealt with many of the same problems we all face, but the difference is that he is always able to rise above his problems by having faith in his dream.

1. What does the underlined part “fell right on its face” in paragraph 2 mean?

A．Finished.

B．Continued.

C．Failed.

D．Happened.

2. The example of the author’s playing baseball is used to show he ______.

A．accepts Tony Hawk’s suggestion

B．doesn’t want to play baseball anymore

C．wants to be as successful as Tony Hawk

D．has the same view of life as Tony Hawk

3. In the eyes of the author, what makes Tony Hawk special?

A．His achievement.	B．His unusual experience.
C．His confidence in winning the game.	D．His determination to realize his dream.

4. What does the author think of Tony Hawk at the end of the interview?

A．Simple.

B．Real.

C．Lucky.

D．Cautious.

10 . Every year in May, museums prepare shows to honor Leonardo Da Vinci, who died in France on May 2,1519. He is remembered as one of the greatest artists and creative thinkers of all time. His most famous paintings are The Mona Lisa and The Last Supper.

Recently, researchers have been studying a painting, Landscape8P which they think is Da Vinci’s earliest-known artwork. They used special lighting to study the artwork and discovered there were two images (图像), not one. One drawing is on the back of the piece, which dates back to August 5, 1473.

The drawing on the front was painted when Leonardo was 21 years old. It shows a river valley and a castle outside the city of Florence. There is little left of the drawing on the back, perhaps because it was wiped off. Only a bridge over a river can be seen. But there is writing on both sides.

The writing on the front gives the date and goes from right to left. Some people would call this “mirror-writing”. It’s a way Leonardo often wrote in his notebooks. The writing on the back goes from left to right and tells about an agreement, probably to produce a work of art.

Cecilia Frosinini is an art historian. She said, “Leonardo was born left-handed, but was taught to write with his right hand from a very young age. By looking at his writings, including from this drawing, we can see his right-handed handwriting is educated and well done.”

Experts compared the two handwriting samples (样本) and said they were both made by Leonardo. They show he could write well using his left hand or his right hand.

The drawing is known as Landscape 8P from its number in an art list. It will be part of an exhibit at Italy’s Uffizi Gallery. The museum director, Eike Schmidt, said by studying the drawing researchers gave us a new way of looking at Leonardo’s drawing techniques and his abilities in writing.

1. Which of the following mentioned in the text has been studied by researchers recently?

A．The Mona Lisa.	B．The Last Supper.
C．Landscape 8P.	D．Mirror-writing.

2. What does the writing on the back probably tell about?

A．A statement about the painting.	B．An introduction about Leonardo.
C．Something about the city of Florence.	D．An agreement to produce a painting.

3. What can we learn about Leonardo from Cecilia’s words?

A．He could write with either of his hands.

B．He did bad in right-handed handwriting.

C．He wasn’t good at writing with his right hand.

D．He taught himself to write with right hand.

4. What’s Eike Schmidt’s attitude towards the research?

A．Unclear.

B．Positive.

C．Doubtful.

D．Cold.